


redial

by galaxyeyedrops



Category: Future Card Buddyfight
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-31 21:19:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12690420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxyeyedrops/pseuds/galaxyeyedrops
Summary: Post episode 64. Back at the hospital, Kiri receives an unexpected visitor.





	redial

**Author's Note:**

> so i managed to finish s1 and this is basically me rewarding myself for it

Hours after all of the Grim Reaper's captives are freed, a package arrives at the Kisaragi residence.

"What you think it is, Father?" Akatsuki asks, leaning forwards as the man smoothly cuts through the packaging.

"It could be a bribe," their father explains. "There was no postage or return address but we might find something inside.

"Or," he continues. "It could something a bit more dangerous."

If anything, that gets them even more excited. By the time he opens both flaps, all their eyes are fixed on the item hidden within layers upon layers of bubble wrap.

He extracts it carefully, slowly removing each layer of packaging bit by bit, until the real prize is all that's left.

It's a phone, still in it's original packaging. It's unopened, no visible proof of tampering or anything, and still no evidence of the one who sent it.

Zanya's own phone interrupts him with a news notification. He scrolls through forums to confirm. He turns back to the package—and this time he understands.

 

* * *

 

It's minutes after Gao and Kyoya Gaen shake hands, moments after they smile and start to walk away, that Kiri collapses.

He's been running on adrenaline for so long, guilt filling up his stomach and sustaining him when food wouldn't. And as the finality sets in, the feelings begin to subside, taking his consciousness with them.

He wakes up in the hospital again. Joker, a cool presence by his side, gently helping the nurse lift him up.

His chest is heavy. Stiff, bandaged, and aching. The hint of disapproval on her face, her request that he _please not try to freeze open wounds_ , perhaps even heavier.

The room he's in is different from his last. The IV drip is a constant but there is far more equipment around. A heart monitor beeping with each beat, several infographs detailing rehabilitation methods lining the walls, a whiteboard listing antibiotic treatment across from him.

The room itself is bigger, simple chairs switched out for padded couches. And on one of them, the Buddy Police Officer sits. She's fighting exhaustion, Kiri can tell, watching the nurse go through her routine with a hazy attentiveness similar to more than a few students he's seen in class.

"I don't mind if you sleep," Kiri tells her when the nurse leaves. His voice is raspy, creaking with the little breath that flows through it. She shakes her head, reassurances on her lips—when there's a knock at the door. Her eyes immediately turn sharp and a second follows moments after.

"It's me," a familiar voice says, and Kiri watches Ms. Stella relaxes and invites the visitor inside.

Tsukikage is the first one in. He scans the room impassively, glancing equally at all possible exits as well as his former kidnapper, eyes refusing to betray any emotion. His buddy follows, a step behind. In his hands, he carries a basket of fresh fruit.

He's surprised to see Kiri awake, momentarily fumbling with the items in his hands, before quickly righting himself up; making his way to Kiri's bedside.

He places the fruit basket on the table and murmurs greetings, the requisite _glad you're looking better_ , to which Kiri can only nod, matching the other's steady gaze.

Ms. Stella, noticing the tension, excuses herself, and lets Kiri know that she'll be right outside.

"Gao would be jealous," Zanya says, just before the silence can turn oppressive. Kiri lifts his head at the non sequitur.

His confusion must be obvious because his visitor immediately clarifies.

"He's been pretty worried. Wouldn't stop beating himself up about how he should have checked up on you after his match."

Kiri stops the immediate, self-deprecating _why would he_ before it leaves his lips. "That sounds like him," he says instead. A pause. "Please tell him not to. I'll be fine."

"From what I've heard," Zanya says, eyes narrowing. "The hospital had to schedule an immediate surgery to deal with all the ice you used to plug up your injury."

Kiri winces. He had pulled out the arrow quickly back then, ignoring the little voice at the back of his head that pretended it knew battlefield safety. Joker's ice, at the time, was the first thing he could think of to prevent any further blood loss.

"I owe Gao a lot," Zanya admits. "More than I could ever hope to repay."

"He told me what happened after he rescued you; begged me not to hate you or try to enact justice my own way."

"I see," Kiri says, clenching and unclenching his hands among the sheets, wrinkling the fabric without a thought. "I see," he repeats as he quickly scrambles for something to say.

But Zanya continues, nonplussed. "I was ready to ignore it, of course. But then, Tsukikage came back and I saw what happened to you…"

Kiri bites his lip, teeth digging deep enough to draw blood but lets the other continue.

"I knew that the dark core messed with people's minds but to see it throw you into a coma was something else entirely. And I took advantage of it to claim a spot on Balle du Soleil."

Zanya inhales and exhales, audibly. The sound drifts through the room, matching pace with the running machinery.

"Before all of this, I would have said that I owed you too, helping me out in the ABC Cup but now—"

"You don't know what make of it?" Kiri's voice is low, devoid of inflection.

"Yeah." Zanya turns to the window, the curtains drawn shut, and beyond them to what is undoubtedly a clear blue sky. "I thought I'd come to the answer by talking to you."

Kiri smiles bitterly. "I'm sorry," he says. "But I don't think I'll be much help here."

"It's fine," Zanya replies. "As it turns out, I didn't need to. The Buddy Police and Tsukikage clearly hold you no ill will, especially after your recent actions, so it wouldn't be right if I didn't do the same."

"You're a good person." Kiri comments. "I'm glad he has someone like you by his side."

"Speaking of which," Kiri points at the basket of fruit. "Please send Gao-kun my thanks the next time you see him."

"Gao didn't send you the basket."

Zanya smiles at the furrowed brow. "It was Akatsuki, mostly. He wanted to make sure that his body double was eating better and we all chipped in."

"Thank you," Kiri repeats but Zanya shakes it off with a hand.

"Get better," he says. "So the next time we fight, I can beat you."

He turns around and walks to the door with long even strides. One foot out, he stops. "By the way," he says. "Tetsuya sent the bananas so I'd avoid them if I were you."

And with a another step he's gone.

Kiri watches him leave. He waits a minute before turning back to the basket, picking a banana out of the pile.

He peels it carefully and takes a bite.

Surprisingly, it's delicious.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact: i noticed a friend's fic in the ao3 and i changed word length to match theirs
> 
> feel free to me on twitter @deskbot00 or @buddyfightclub


End file.
